When Hours Jump

Introducing the new Jumping Hours from Speake-Marin.

Courtesy of Speake-Marin

Because they were nice enough to send such a comprehensive press release, here it is!  Straight, no chaser:

Past, present and future: Symbolic concepts of time continually passing. Time is valuable but also fleeting, and although we can define it, we cannot control it. Jumping Hours, part of Speake-Marin’s Cabinet des Mystères collection, highlights the transient nature of this most intangible commodity. Four separate jump hour indications, each controlled by its own gilded star wheel, are a constant reminder of the ceaseless passing of time.

As we age, the hours, minutes and seconds that make up the days appear to grow shorter and shorter, and time seems to speed up. As a child, time is endless but as an adult, it slips quickly through the cracks.

Peter Speake-Marin found inspiration in the past to show this relentless march of time. Based on the jump hour star system invented over 150 years ago, the British watchmaker deconstructed this vintage complication four times to display the inescapable passing of time, where hours literally “jump,” advancing from one to the next in the apparent blink of an eye.

The Speake-Marin Jumping Hours contains four small, Foundation-style, blued–steel hour hands. Each of these exquisitely crafted hands is placed in a separate quadrant of a beautifully finished silver dial – at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock respectively. The individual hands are set atop their own brilliant, gilded star wheel, which “jumps” every 15 minutes when a tiny pin – located at each wheel’s centre – sequentially pushes one star wheel after the other as the blued-steel central minute and second hands perpetually march forward.

In a neat touch, synchronised with this changing of the hours is the appearance of a tiny red dot on the centre plate at each quarter hour mark. Every 15 minutes, a small circular hole near the base of the minute hand lines up with the red dot, indicating that the hour has “jumped”. 

"On the Speake-Marin Jumping Hours, you have this continual animation as the minute hand goes around so that there is always something moving," says Peter Speake-Marin. “The idea is to show the speed at which time passes.” 

The Jumping Hours "dial" is actually the top of the movement mainplate. The movement, crafted from traditional German silver, features circular-grained bridges and plates with hand polished bevels. The distinct curvature of the bridges gives the illusion that the dial is moving in step with the hour hands as time strides forward.

So as not to distract from the action of each passing hour, there are no numerals on the dial. Instead, subtly drilled minute markers are neatly arranged around the perimeter of the mainplate. The silver dial contrasts beautifully with the 18k red gold bezel. A matching red gold fluted crown and caseback adds an extra touch of classic Speake-Marin style. Serif style text in capital letters is hand-engraved inside the minute markers – an elegant touch and reminiscent of another era.

Visible through the display back is Jumping Hours’ Eros automatic-winding movement with long five-day power reserve and Speake-Marin’s signature ‘topping tool’ mystery winding rotor. Hand engraved around the caseback are “Unique Piece” and “Mechanical Art No. 2”.

Jumping Hours’ evolution of time is all housed in the iconic, 42mm red gold and stainless steel Piccadilly case. The entire piece was constructed, machined, hand- finished, assembled and regulated by a single watchmaker.

The Speake-Marin Jumping Hours is a unique piece. 

Features and Indications:
Central minutes and seconds
4 sequential jump hour mechanisms
Automatic-winding movement with 5-day power reserve

Dial and Hands:
Speake-Marin signature Foundation-style hands in heat blued steel, indicating hours, minutes and seconds

Movement:
Automatic-winding Eros movement Dimensions: 30.40mm x 4.35mm Power reserve: 120 hoursJewels: 35
Twin barrels
Frequency: 28,800vph / 4Hz
Speake-Marin signature ‘topping tool’ mystery winding rotor Hand-finished bridges and rotor

Case and strap:
Iconic Piccadilly case in red gold and stainless steel
Three-piece case construction
Two-position crown: 
Manual winding and stop-second time setting Dimensions: 42mm x 13 mmFront and display–back: sapphire crystals treated with anti-reflective coating 
Case-back circumference engraving: “Speake-Marin – The Piccadilly” 
Water resistance: 3atm/30m/100ft
Hand-made, natural alligator leather strap
Pin buckle in stainless steel